Index system.



E. A. DUNN.

INDEX SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY5, 1910.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

EDWARD A. DUNN, 0F NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

INDEX SYSTEM.

' Application filed m 5,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

1910. Serial No. 570,276.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. DUNN, of Newton, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain newanduseful Improvements in Index Systems, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to fili g systems of The objects of the inventionare to provide improvements-which will reduce labor costs by increasing,the facility of use; to provide an index which is expansive to avoidnecessity for revising the index from time to time; to provide anindex'which is compact, thus saving space which .represents a cashvalue; to, provide an index which will enable surnames to be sub-dividedby Christian names,-thus facilitating reference and posting especiallywhere surnames are commen; and to providean index having subdivisionsthat may be used in common in different de artments of a business.

' A particular object of the invention is to provide posting-sheetsespecially adapted for use in connectionwith-loose'leaf binders, saidsheets being so provided with numerically indicated Christian names orfirmname sub-divisions, in addition to numerically indicated surnamesub-divisions as to serve as further sub-divisions of the latter to afar greater extent than could be rovided for in a column or in columns,within the limited -space that could be used therefor on such sheets.

lo "these ends the invention consists in the system substantially ashereinafter described and claimed.

' Of the accompanying drawings ;--Figure 1 is a perspective view of aseries of posting sheets constructed in accordance with my presentinvention, said sheets being 1llnstrated as attached to a loose leafbinder which, however, forms no part of my invention. Fig. 2 is a viewsimilar a portion as Fig. 1, but-illustrates a mod fication hereinafterdescribed. Fig. 3 is a view representing a set of indexicards suitablefor use in card indexing, the cards being constructed according to mypresent invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a loose leaf binder of a well known form isindicated at 10, said binder containing a number of sheets 11, eachsheet having its margin pro- -vided with alphabetical sub-divisionsconstituting a surname key, each of which subdivisions is designated bya distinct numeral, the numerals running in sequence from one to anynumber required. Preferably each sheet 11 has a portion of thesesub-divisions printed on one side, so that when the set is open toexpose two leaves, the opposite pages which are thus exposed show thecomplete alphabetical and numerical sub-divisions arranged in twocolumns. These sub-divisions includethe first and second letters ofsurnames, sometimes, however, including the three first letters ofsurnames. Above this surname key by lOs, is a Christian and firm namekey comprising the numerals from 0 to 9 inclusive, said numeralsidentifying groups of initials, said initials running from A to Z.Preferably the cipher is employed to indigzate miscellaneous names suchas firm or corporation names. The Christian and firm name key isindicated at 12, and is duplicated on both sides of each sheet in theform shown in Fig. 1, but as indicated at13 in Fig. 2, the Christian orvfirm name key may be divided, partly on one page, and partly on theopposite page, the two expose pages when the set is opened, completingthe entire key.

as indicated in Fig. 1, said division sheets having. tabs 15, the tabsbeing printed with the alphabet in accordance with the divisions of thesurname key.

For the entire alphabet, the key 12 has ten sub-divisions from O to 9inclusive, of which the 0 division preferably relates to miscellaneousnames such as firm or corporation names, while the numerals 1 to 91ndicate consecutive sub-divisions of the alphabet so that, in thearrangement illustrated, any Christian name beginning with A or B wouldbe known numerically as Christian name beginning with C would be knownnumerically. as '2, and so on. By utilizing numerals 1,2, 3, etc'., inthe surname key to designate alphabetical sub-divi- Preferably divisionsheets 14 are employed numerically individualized sub-divisions of,

series which is conveniently referred to as sions, a far greatersub-division of the alphabet is provided for because, reading 1 as 10, 2as 20, 3 as 30 and so on, pro vision is made for increasing thesub-division ten fold. For instance, the sheets with the surname keys asshown in Fig. 1 would provide for 80 alphabetical sub-divisions, but byreading each numerical indication as though it has a cipher suflixed, toit, the equivalent of S00 sub-divisions is obtained. If Ba were to bementall considered as distinguished by a 40, and Be by a 50, there wouldbe ten extra sub-divisions for such surnames as Babson, Badger and soon, without having sheets actually bearing the suflixed ciphers. By theuse of the key 12, any further sub-division from 0 t0 9 may be obtainedbetween the sub-divisions provided in the surname key. The surnameAdamson would be numerically known b a 1,

Allison by a 2, Barnes by a l, Fllene by a 22 and so on. To sub-dividethese by the Christian names, the surname numerals mentioned would havesufiixed thereto the Arther Adamson would be numerically designated 11(Au) Ch l H I! U (I H M David 1: u u u u 13 44 th u UV 1! n u 1 :1Oliver 1: u u u n 18 u Arthur Allison 21 (Al) Charles H I u u u u 2 aDavid u u u g u 23 u Nathan u u .4 u u 2 1: Oliver 1: u u u n v 2 II Tofurther illustrate the utility of the invention, the name William Filenewill be under 229 Surname F i 22 Christian T-Z 9 e The sheetsillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 are especially for such uses as the postingof accounts, but the same invention may be applied to card indexes asindicated-in Fig. 3 in which each guide card or sheet 16 has the samenumerically and alphabetically indicated sub-divisions as shown in Fig.1

' comprised in the surname key, and also has a Christian and firm namekey 17 ,which is substantially the same as key 12 in Fig. 1, exceptingthat the initials of the alphabet are placed horizontally instead ofvertically.

' The guide cards 16 are shown as having tabs 18 which in this instanceshould bear the numerals and letters corresponding with those in the key17. Division sheets having tabs are not essential, but they may beemployed for convenience in opening the set ofsheets at approximatelythe point desired for access to a certain numeral. As shown in Figs. 1and 3, the tabs 15 and 18 are each provided with an alphabeticalsub-division as well as a numeral but in use the numerals are to bechiefly relied upon. When guide cards such as shown in Figs. 3 areemployed,

they all bear uniform alphabetical subthat is available on the sheet orguide card to furnish a sub-division ten times. closer than a svstememploying the surname d1- vision only.

When a name is assigned to a sheet in the I first place, that sheet isgiven the proper sectlon number which is obtained by reference to theindex on the margin and the sheet is then placed in the binder in itsconsecutive order according to the section num-' bers. Frequently morethan one name will fall within one section, and the sheets for all suchnames are given the same section number, but they will be arranged inalphabetical order by surnames.

The index is borne by sheets which, when of stifi material are termedcards, and when of flexible material are usually referred to simply assheets. By the term sheets, I mean to include material of any degree ofthickness.

I claim 1. An index comprising a series of sheets or cards each havingalphabetical subdivisions for surnames, individualized by numerals, andalso having al habetical subdivisions for Christian or rm namesindividualized by numerals other than the first mentioned numerals, incombination wit-h an indexed element or elements, whereby an indexedelement may be indicated by combining an individualized numeral of thesurname subdivision with an individualized numeral of the Christianname-subdivision.-

2. An index comprising a series of sheets or cards, each havingalphabetical sub-divisions for surnames individualized by numerals insequence of 10s, and also having alphabetical sub-divisions of initialsin groups individualized by numerals O to 9, in combination with anindexed element or elements, whereby an indexed element may be indicatedby combining an individualized numeral of the surname subdivision withan individualized numeral of the Christian name subdivision.

3. A posting sheet having two separate series of alphabeticalsub-divisions individualized by numerals, one series including the firstand second letters of surnames .in alphabetical order and with thenumerals in sequence, the other series having initials in groups, eachgroup having a single numeral, in combination with an indexed element orelements, whereby an indexed element may be indicated by combining anindividualized numeral of the surname subdivision with an individualizednumeral of the Christian name subdivison.

4. A posting sheet having two separate series of alphabeticalsub-divisions individualized by numerals, one series including the firstand second letters of surnames in alphabetical order and with thenumerals in sequence in multiples of lOs, the other series havinginitials in groups individualized by the numerals 0 to 9, in combinationwith an indexed element or elements, whereby an indexed element may beindicated by combining an individualized numeral of the surnamesubdivision with an individualized numeral of the Christian namesubdivision.

5. A sheet havin acolumn of initials and second letters 0% s urnamesnumbered in sequence, and having also, a name key comrising initials ingroups, each group being individualized by a single numeral, incombination with an indexed element or elements, whereby an indexedelement may be indicated by combining an individualized numeral of thesurname subdivision with an individualized numeral of' the Christianname subdivision.

6. A sheet having alphabetical subdivisions for surnames individualizedby numerals in sequence of tens and having also alphabeticalsubdivisions of initials in groups individualized by numerals 0-9 incombination with an indexed element or elements, whereby an indexedelement may be indicated by combining an individualized numeral of thesurname subdivision with an individualized numeral of the Christiansubdivision.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses.

' EDWARD A. DUNN. Witnesses:

A. -W. HARRISON, P. W. Puzzarrr.

